


Strangers

by cabooseachievables



Category: Power Rangers
Genre: AU where they aren't power rangers obv, F/F, and i do not regret it, i 100 percent did this because of the song strangers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-27
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-11-05 12:19:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11013300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cabooseachievables/pseuds/cabooseachievables
Summary: Jason drags Billy and Kim to a local bar to see one of his classmates perform, and Kim really isn't interested. That is, until she meets her.They're strangers, with the same hunger (to be touched, to be loved, to feel anything at all).(I literally only wrote this because Strangers by Halsey/Lauren Jauregui came out yesterday and I wanted to find some way to tie it into Trimberly. This is the result.)





	Strangers

**Author's Note:**

> This is definitely an AU where they aren't Rangers, and I'm gonna say they're all seniors in college.
> 
> If you haven't already, go listen to Strangers by Halsey and Lauren Jauregui, because that's the song I used for this fic!
> 
> (and go yell at me about writing so many fics at the same time @ cabooseachievables on tumblr)

When Jason drags her to some local bar to hang out, Kim is wary about the idea.

 

She usually doesn’t go out to places like this during her free time, but when Billy said he’d be coming with them and offered her a hopeful smile, she couldn’t say no. (Everyone has a weak spot for Billy.)

 

On their way there, Jason assures them in the car that it’s a nice place; it isn’t shady and grungy like most of the bars here in Angel Grove. Kim wants to question how he knows this, but she remembers that at one point in his life, Jason Scott was the single most popular guy in this sad town. Of course he would’ve been dragged out to socialize.

 

“We’ll grab a table in the back,” Jason says, glancing at the rearview mirror to look at Billy in the backseat. When Billy visibly relaxes, he smiles. “It’s quieter back there, anyway.”

 

“Why are we going to this place again?” Kim asks from the passenger seat, raising her eyebrows at Jason. Usually when he offers to take them out, it’s to a Krispy Kreme or a homely pizza parlor. Not a bar.

 

Jason taps at his steering wheel idly when they reach a red light. “I just thought we could go somewhere fun. Besides, I heard a girl from one of my classes is performing tonight.”

 

“Jason, don’t tell me you’re interested in this girl,” Kim rolls her eyes, leaning back into her seat. They end up pulling into a packed parking lot, slowly parking in the nearest open spot.

 

“What? Me? No,” Jason laughs, and Kim can tell that it’s completely honest. The three of them have been best friends for years, and at this point, Kim can easily read when he’s lying. Quietly, nearly inaudible, he mumbles, “Trust me, I’m not her type.”

 

He puts on the parking brakes and they get out of the car, Jason fixing his jacket to pop the collar around his neck. Kim shakes her head, and Billy just gives him a nod of approval along with a thumbs up.

 

They walk around the building to the front entrance, where Kim can see the neon green sign of the bar: Rita’s. She’d heard of the place before from a few other students in her university, claiming that it’s pretty high quality and the drinks are relatively cheap. Kim never really felt the need to see it for herself, but Jason was  _ seriously _ insisting on this place.

 

It was only around 10PM, so the bar was expectedly crowded when they walked inside. People chatting at their tables, a band playing softly in the background. There’s a low hum that vibrates through them, the sound and feeling of a lively bar atmosphere running in Kim’s veins. Bars weren’t really her thing, honestly, but something about them was so undeniably exciting.

 

“Come on,” Jason says a little louder over the voices around them, gesturing for Kim and Billy to follow him. They maneuver around groups of people, drunk and not drunk and not-quite-there-yet, until they find an empty booth towards the back. The tables around it are practically empty too, and Billy sighs happily as they sit down. Kim looks around in the dimly lit bar, eyes falling on the tired band on a small stage.

 

“What time is your friend playing?” Kim asks, looking back at Jason, who is busy pulling out his wallet.

 

“Sometime around 10:30, I think,” he replies, peering around for any sign of the girl. He must not find her, because he just shrugs and turns to Billy. “Did you want anything to drink, Billy?”

 

“I’ll just have a soda,” Billy says, and it isn’t much of a surprise. After all,  _ one _ of them has to stay sober in order to make sure they all get home safely tonight. Knowing Jason, it won’t be him, and Kim doesn’t exactly have the greatest self control either. The last time she went to a bar, she’d gotten so drunk that her friends said she’d purchased thirty burritos from Del Taco, confident that she could eat all of them. Kim woke up in bed the next morning surrounded by seventeen of them and a very angry stomach.

 

Jason nods, getting up from the booth. “I’ll try to find a waitress and get you a soda,” he smiles softly, and Billy nods.

 

“And I’m going over to the bar to see what they have,” Kim says as she stands up right behind him, grabbing a twenty from her purse.

 

The two of them depart, leaving Billy at the table to read an article on his phone about some new scientific discovery that Kim couldn’t follow even if she tried. She goes over to the bar instead, sitting down at the only empty stool left. The bartender, a boy around her age, is busy talking to the girl next to her when she sits down.

 

“...I’ll talk to you later, T. I get off at midnight,” he says to the girl, and Kim has time to read the nametag on his black shirt. Zack. He turns to Kim quickly, a smile on his face as he waits for her to order something.

 

“I’ll just have a margarita,” Kim says, placing her twenty dollar bill on the counter.

 

“Coming right up,” Zack nods, slipping the bill into a pocket on his apron and pulling out her change. When he leaves to start mixing the drink, Kim lets her eyes drift over to the girl sitting on the next stool. She’s quietly scrolling through Instagram on her phone, sipping on whatever her drink is slowly. Long, brown hair cascading a little past her shoulders, a yellow beanie hanging around her ears, tan skin, a loose grey t-shirt…

 

Kim doesn’t realize that she’s blatantly staring until she’s called out on it.

 

“You need something?” The girl asks, gaze not straying from her phone screen. Kim appreciates that fact, because it means she won’t notice the way her cheeks have tinted red in utter embarrassment.

 

“Oh, no, I just—” Kim says, clearing her throat awkwardly. “Sorry.’

 

The girl shrugs, still reading some post on her phone. “Whatever. I’m kinda flattered.”

 

Kim finds herself relaxing, even moreso when Zack returns with her drink and slides it in front of her. When he realizes the two of them had been interacting, he grins.

 

“Don’t worry about her. Trini’s kind of a bitch,” he snickers, and with that, Trini’s head snaps up with the most piercing glare Kim has ever seen in her life. She tries to throw a punch over the counter at Zack, but he just takes a step back to dodge it.

 

“Fuck you, Zack,” Trini grumbles, frowning as she takes another sip from her drink. Zack just laughs and walks away to another customer.

 

“...Trini, huh?” Kim says, a smile on her face. Trini just stares at her for a moment, and a second passes where the both of them struggle to read each other’s expressions. Kim holds out a hand then. “Kimberly.”

 

Trini swallows, then hesitantly accepts the hand with a careful nod. Her hand is soft yet rough at the same time, Kim notes; her palm is smooth but her fingertips are harsh and calloused. Like a guitar player’s. Trini is the one to retract her hand first, returning to her drink.

 

“I’m guessing you two know each other?” Kim adds, gesturing to Zack as he writes down someone’s order on the other side of the bar. (A part of her, a very curious part in the very back of her mind, wants to throw in a ‘ _ boyfriend?’ _ but is too scared of the answer to do so. She ignores it.)

 

Trini snorts, shaking her head slightly. “Unfortunately, yeah. I’m here often enough that we ended up being friends.” She takes another swig from her nearly empty glass before eyeing Kimberly. Kim nearly freezes, as if she’s waiting for some kind of verdict from the other girl. “You’re new here, huh?” Trini asks, and there’s a smirk growing on her face that makes Kim’s heart stop beating momentarily.

 

“Uh, yeah,” Kim says, fingers subconsciously spinning her own glass on the counter. “My friend Jason dragged me here. He said it was a nice place, and he knew someone who would be playing.”

 

Whatever Kim was expecting in response, it wasn’t Trini laughing. But there she was, head thrown back in a small fit of laughter, and the sound is so… beautiful.

 

“Seriously? He actually came?” Trini says finally, recovering from her laughs. Kim just squints at her in confusion, not quite following, and Trini looks as if she’s about to clarify, but someone is already stepping up behind them.

 

“Trini!” Jason greets, a bright smile on his face. That’s when everything clicks in Kim’s mind, realizing that this is the girl they came here to see. And, well… Kim isn’t disappointed. (She hasn’t even seen her sing yet— and  _ oh boy _ , Kim just realized she’s going to see this beautiful girl on stage  _ singing _ with what Kim can already imagine is an amazing voice. Kim’s going to die here tonight. She’s sure of it.)   
  


“Yo, Jason. I didn’t think you’d actually show,” Trini says, holding out a fist for Jason to bump with his own. 

 

“I’m a man of my word,” Jason replies, shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. He looks at Kim, and back to Trini. “I see you met Kim. I brought her out tonight with my friend Billy, just trying to get them to have some fun.”

 

“Yeah,” Trini starts, turning to Kim as she pauses. There’s something in her brown eyes that Kim can’t read, can’t tell what she’s thinking, but she knows that it’s  _ something _ . Then Trini looks down at her phone and groans. “Shit, I have to go get ready. I’ll be on in a few minutes.”

 

Jason nods in understanding. “See you Monday in class?”

 

Trini smirks, offering a lazy salute as her farewell to the both of them. “Maybe. See you.” 

 

Kim watches her walk into the crowd, disappearing behind people talking and dancing between tables. She doesn’t realize that Jason is staring at her, laughing to himself.

 

“She’s cute, right?” Jason grins at her, this unmistakable cheeky look on his face.

 

“What is— Jason, are you trying to set me up?” Kim accuses with wide eyes, but fails to hide the small curve of her lips. “Is that why you brought us here?”

 

Jason waves off the comment. “Nah, that’s not why. It’s just an added bonus.”

 

They walk back to their booth in the back, and Kim is stuck in her thoughts the entire time. Yeah, Trini is  _ definitely _ cute. Cute was probably an understatement, actually. But there’s no way, Kim thinks, that she would stand a chance with a girl like that. She’s Kimberly Ann Hart, sure, and she’s practically known for stealing hearts everywhere she goes— but for the most part, it’s boys. Boys are easier to flirt with. They fall much quicker and easier. Girls? Kim isn’t exactly the most experience in that department. How would she even know if Trini was interested? What if she isn’t even into  _ girls _ ?

 

Just as they sit down, the lights in the bar dim slightly more and a man steps up on stage. Billy has a basket of fries in front of him, which he offers kindly to Kim.

 

“Hello, Rita’s!” He booms into a microphone, and only half of the bar even pays attention to him. He adjust the mic stand a little bit before continuing. “Now if you’re a regular here, you know who’s coming up next. Our favorite Friday night performer, Trini Gomez!”

 

There are a few cheers from the crowd, including Jason hollering from his side of the booth. Kim just claps like a few others do as Trini steps up on stage with a nervous smile on her face. And yeah, if Kim thought she was cute before, she’s even more stunning on stage. The lights up there really do her justice, especially in highlighting that damn-near perfect jawline of hers. She doesn’t say anything to the crowd; she just grabs a guitar from it’s stand and slings the strap over her shoulders.

 

Music fades in from the background, loud enough to be heard but low enough to avoid overbearing Trini herself. Soon her fingers are strumming the guitar without hesitance, no nerves, just natural and skillful, along to the tune playing through the speakers. Kim’s never heard it before— maybe it’s an original?

 

Then she leans in, lips close to the microphone.

 

_ “She doesn’t kiss me on the mouth anymore.” _

 

Kim’s eyes are absolutely glued to her, entranced by this voice because it’s even better than she thought it would be. It’s so smooth and—

 

Oh.

 

_ Oh _ .

 

She just said “she.”

 

Trini continues to sing,  _ “‘Cause it’s more intimate, than she thinks we should get.” _

 

Kim nearly chokes on the fry she’s eating, and Jason is giving her this knowing smile because  _ of course _ he knew that Trini was into girls. To be fair, she should have caught on too, but instead she had to figure it out like this. While Trini is singing about her relationship with another girl, about kissing another girl, and now all Kim can think about is being the one that kisses Trini on the mouth.

 

_ “Said that we’re not lovers, we’re just strangers. _ ”

 

Kim gulps down the last of her margarita.

 

_ “With the same damn hunger, to be touched, to be loved, to feel anything at all.” _

 

\--

 

They stayed until a quarter past eleven, when Trini finished performing. She’d sung a variety of songs, original and covers, including a few in Spanish (and Kimberly was so amazed that Billy had to check that she was breathing after a while, she was sitting so  _ still _ . Seriously, Kim is going to be hearing the words  _ todo cambio _ in her dreams tonight.)

 

“She was good, huh?” Jason asks as they leave through the back exit, and Kim can tell that the question is directed at her, but he already knows the answer.

 

“She was very good!” Billy chimes in, closing the door behind him. “Do you really know her?”

 

“Yeah, I do,” Jason laughs, pulling out his car keys. He eyes Kim, then teases, “I could get you her number, if you want.”

 

Kim just slaps his shoulder, silencing him except for the small laughs that escape him. He unlocks the car and Billy is the one to slip into the driver’s seat this time. Kim moves to open the passenger door but stops in her tracks, because right there, a few cars away, is Trini packing her guitar away into a white sedan. Jason must notice too, because he stops around his side of the car and nods his head in that general direction. He mouths the word ‘ _ go _ ’ and that’s all Kim needs.

 

Trini is closing the trunk of her car when Kim steps up behind her.

 

“Hey,” she says, and it must startle Trini because her shoulders tense up temporarily. When she turns and finds Kim they relax, just slightly. 

 

“Uh, hey,” Trini says back, and there’s something different about her this time. She’s nervous, anxious, eyes glancing elsewhere as she folds her arms across her chest. “I thought you guys would’ve left by now.”

 

“You were amazing,” Kim comments a little too quickly. Trini raises her eyebrows in what Kim can only imagine is shock. “Jason and Billy thought so, too. Not just me.”

 

Trini takes that as a cue to glance behind Kim to where Jason’s car is, and sure enough, he’s standing around the side waving awkwardly.

 

“Thanks,” Trini says finally, the hints of a smile on her face. “I’m gonna head back inside. Zack gets off in half an hour.”

 

She starts to walk away, but Kim isn’t done yet.

 

“Wait!” She blurts out, reaching out to grasp one of Trini’s wrists, and she doesn’t let it go even when she realizes what she’s doing. Trini stops, and there’s this look in her eyes again that Kim just can’t place. “Do you… Do you have a pen?”

 

“A  _ pen _ ?” Trini repeats, confused, but reaches into her pocket a few seconds later to pull out a black pen. Kim takes it and lifts Trini’s hand closer, using the pen to write the digits of her phone number on Trini’s skin. One of them gets smudged, but it’s legible enough, Kim decides. She lets go and Trini reads her hand, eyes going wide immediately.

 

Kim places the pen on Trini’s open palm and winks.

 

“Have a nice night, Trini.”

 

\--

 

_ Unknown [2:01AM] _

meet me at krispy kreme tomorrow?

 

_ Unknown [2:01AM] _

shit

 

_ Unknown [2:01AM] _

this is trini btw

 

_ Kimberly [2:03AM] _

sure :)

how does 12 sound?

 

_ Tiny Goddess of Singing [2:04AM] _

sounds good

 

\--

 

“How do you get the inspiration to write songs?” Kim asks, stabbing a fork into her donut. Trini looks at her from across the table, running the question through her head to find an answer. The Krispy Kreme they ended up going to wasn’t very crowded, and Kim was grateful for that. She had enough of loud, crowded places after last night. They could have a conversation without the need to shout over everyone else.

 

Trini shrugs and takes a bite of her own chocolate donut. “I don’t know. Personal experiences, I guess.”

 

“So, that song ‘Strangers’…” Kim starts, leaning her chin on her palm. “Are you…?”

 

“Into women?” Trini smirks, and Kim just nods because yes, that’s exactly where she was going with that. (Not to mention that damn  _ smirk _ again, the one that makes Kim want to cup Trini’s face and pull her in for a kiss that lasts a lifetime.) “Yeah, I am. You caught me.”

 

“Yeah I’m a detective, actually. It took a lot to figure that one out,” Kim laughs, bringing her cup of coffee to her lips. It’s refreshing in comparison to the drink she’d had last night, which left a bitter taste in her mouth this morning. She contemplates asking for more, asking for details (like if she’s single, has a girlfriend, or is, you know, looking for a girlfriend). Instead, she just settles with the topic of her music. It’s less direct. “What about the lyrics for it?”

 

Trini is silent for a while, leaning back against her chair.

 

“...I was dating this girl, Tommy Oliver. We broke up a few months ago, and that’s when I wrote the song,” Trini explained, shifting the beanie on her head so that it was back in it’s usual position. It’s the same yellow beanie from last night, and Kim decides that she can get used to the color as long as it’s on the girl in front of her. “So, yeah. It was supposed to be a duet, but the girl I used to sing with moved to another state.”

 

There’s a thought that Kim has, of Trini up on stage with another girl singing this song. It doesn’t feel right, like the song belongs to Trini’s voice and Trini’s voice alone. But then there’s another thought, and the words drip out of Kim’s mouth before she can think twice.

 

“I can sing.”

 

And then Kim realizes what she’s just said, and she’s looking away awkwardly. “I mean, I’m not saying you should let me sing with you—”

 

“Is that what this is? Convincing me to let you sing with me?” Trini cuts her off, a developing frown on her face and something different in her tone. If Kim strains her ears hard enough, it almost sounds like a bit of hurt in her voice. 

 

Kim is quick to shake her head. “No, no. I’m here because I think you’re cute and I wanted to get to know you better,” she says, and doesn’t miss the way Trini’s cheeks turn a shade darker. Okay, that was pretty straightforward, but Kim saw the way her words could get interpreted wrongly. Messing things up with Trini within 24 hours of meeting her was the last thing she wanted to do. “I’m just saying, if you ever want to try a duet… I could give it my best shot.”

 

“Thanks,” Trini replies quietly, and if she were to sink any lower in her chair Kim is sure she’d fall off. It’s cute. “To both things, I guess.”

 

Kim just hums in response, taking another sip from her coffee. Most of their lunch together is spent discussing music or sharing stories about their friends. (Trini tells Kim about the time Jason showed up to their class with his shirt on backwards, and how no one bothered to tell him until an hour and a half later. She even pulls up a picture on her phone as proof, and Kim almost spit out her coffee.) Trini never reveals too many details about herself, but Kim doesn’t mind it too much.

 

They leave two hours later, having been there for much longer than they’d anticipated.

 

\--   
  


_ Tiny Goddess of Singing [9:44PM] _

come over to my place on tuesday

we can try that duet thing

 

_ Tiny Goddess of Singing [9:45PM] _

if you want

 

_ Kimberly [9:53PM] _

i’d like that

 

_ Tiny Goddess of Singing [9:56PM] _

cool   
  


_ Kimberly [9:57PM] _

do i have to bring anything? i don’t own a guitar

 

_ Tiny Goddess of Singing [9:58PM] _

nah. just bring yourself

 

_ Kimberly [10:00PM] _

i can do that <3

just text me your address

 

_ Tiny Goddess of Singing [10:02PM] _

did you just heart me, hart?

 

_ Kimberly [10:03PM] _

yes

<3

 

_ Tiny Goddess of Singing [10:04PM] _

ugh

whatever

14 wallace street, 3rd floor apt 311

 

\--

 

“I think I can harmonize with you a bit more on this part,” Kim says, underlining some lyrics on the paper in front of her. They’re in Trini’s apartment, on her couch, reading the words of the song and trying to figure out how to go about this. (Trini sits cross-legged on her side, and Kim has her legs stretched out to rest on Trini’s lap. She’d protested at first, but when Kim complained that she was  _ so  _ comfortable, Trini caved.) She points to different parts of the paper with a mechanical pencil that she’d brought with her. “Like, I can try to go higher here, and you can go lower there.”

 

“You know this is my song, right?” Trini raises an eyebrow, trying to hide a smile but failing miserably. They’ve been at this for half an hour, and so far all they’ve done has been rewriting the harmonies.

 

“Hey, I’m just suggesting it!” Kim laughs, holding up a hand defensively. She scans the rest of the sheet, and then nods approvingly. “I think that’s it, though. We should be good to go.”

 

“You sure?” Trini questions teasingly from her spot on the other end of the couch. “Nothing else to nitpick?”

 

Kimberly sits up, shifting a little bit, and she shakes her head. “I’m not nitpicking! If I’m singing this with you, I just wanted to make sure it’s… I don’t know, perfect.”

 

“Alright then, princess, let’s try it.” Trini leans over the couch to grab her guitar, pulling it in front of her carefully. Kim takes a sip from Trini’s water bottle, mostly because she’s too lazy to go and grab her own from the girl’s kitchen. How they ended up being this comfortable with each other, Kim isn’t quite sure— Trini was defensive at first, of course, but there’s something natural about being in each other’s company. It’s nice.

 

Trini strums the guitar slowly before getting into the tune, finding the rhythm as it flows through her fingers before starting the first verse.

 

Her voice is as amazing as the first time Kim heard her in the bar, but it’s even better up close. No crowds talking in the background. No microphone audio issues. Just Trini, sitting right here in front of her with a guitar.

 

_ “I remember, I remember what you told me…” _

 

They make eye contact, and with an understanding nod, Kim inhales.

 

“ _ Said that we’re not lovers, we’re just strangers.” _

 

The two of them sing together now, Kim harmonizing with Trini for the first time, finding the notes that she’d written down for herself. It’s been awhile since she’d actually  _ sang _ , as in, in front of someone else (because singing in the shower does not count), and she’d never truly admit that she was nervous about this. But when she glances up from the lyric sheet to see Trini staring at her in awe, almost losing her place in the song, Kim is confident again. Even though the chorus could really use some work with the harmonizing, it still sounds  _ good _ . Their voices fit together like puzzle pieces, completing each other.

 

Then, it’s her verse.

 

_ “She doesn’t call me on the phone anymore.” _

 

Kim sings, letting Trini play the chords. The words come easily, even though this is her first time singing it. They get through the second verse and the chorus fairly smoothly for a first run. The end of the song is nearing.

 

_ “I miss the mornings with you laying in my bed,” _ Trini sings.

 

Kim can’t help but imagine a morning where she wakes up in Trini’s bed, seeing her still asleep with the morning sun streaming through the windows and feeling her heart swell for this girl— but she continues,  _ “I miss the memories replaying in my head.” _

 

_ “I miss the thought of a forever, you and me.” _   
  


Together, they sing,  _ “But all you’re missing is my body…” _

 

And they stop.

  
Trini stops playing, halting her hand over the guitar strings even though there’s another chorus to the song. Time freezes around them on Trini’s couch, and for a very long moment they just sit there, staring at each other. Everything sounded so  _ perfect _ and clean with their voices together.  That same look is in Trini’s eyes again, and Kim thinks she’s finally figured out what it is, because if Trini’s heart is beating nearly as fast as hers is, they want the same thing.

 

They’re just strangers right now. But they want more than that.

 

So Kim pitches forward, careful to avoid striking the guitar, and Trini meets her halfway to press their lips together.

 

It’s soft at first, just like Trini’s lips: gentle and careful and contemplative. Kim loses herself in it, hands finding a place on Trini’s shoulders because  _ god _ of course everything this girl does with her mouth is amazing— and that leads to different thoughts as she kisses Trini harder (but she’ll deal with those later). Trini’s hands are in her hair now, threading through the wavy locks as they kiss each other with a hunger neither of them entirely knew was there.

 

And just like their singing, it feels right.

 

Kim reluctantly pulls back first, just slightly, resting their foreheads together as they catch their breath.   
  


“Kissing Tommy never felt like that,” Trini breathes, eyes still drawn to Kim’s lips.

 

Kim laughs. “Well, it’s a good thing you two are just  _ strangers _ now.”

 

“Oh my  _ god _ ,” Trini groans, falling back against the couch. Kimberly can’t hold back her fit of laughter, even as Trini looks at her with a mix of exasperation and adoration. “That was the worst thing you’ve ever said to me.”

 

Kim runs a hand through Trini’s hair, smiling before leaning in to whisper in her ear.

 

“Kiss me again.”

 

\--

 

_ Kimberly [6:30PM] _

jace, come to rita’s with me tomorrow

 

_ Mom Friend [6:33PM] _

Is trini performing again? Lol

 

_ Kimberly [6:34PM] _

yes so come with me

 

_ Mom Friend [6:37PM] _

Sure. I’ll ask billy if he can come too

 

_ Kimberly [6:39PM] _

tell him i’ll buy him another basket of fries

 

_ Mom Friend [7:02PM] _

He’s in

 

\--

 

The bar is busy again that Friday, but seemingly less than it was last week. Kimberly can only be thankful for that. No tolerable amount of alcohol would be able to ease her nerves enough for what she’s about to do, especially if the crowd had been larger. Across the table from her is Jason and Billy, shoving fries into their mouth and talking about some video they’d seen on YouTube.

 

Kim checks her phone for the time.

 

10:28.

 

“I’ll be right back,” Kim says, standing up from their booth and disappearing into the crowded bar before the boys can question where she’s going. She finds Trini to the side of the stage waiting for her, right as the clock hits 10:30.

 

“You ready for this, princess?” Trini asks, her lips curling slightly. The guitar is hanging from her shoulders, and that same cute yellow beanie is sitting on her head.

 

“I think I am, considering we practiced for five hours yesterday,” Kim laughs, straightening her leather jacket. Yesterday was their day to fix up the duet and even practice some other songs, without the distraction of making out on Trini’s couch (although Kim was tempted to, multiple times.) At the end of the night, they sounded as if they’d been singing together for months.

 

On stage is the same man from last week, stepping up to the microphone and tapping it to ensure that it’s working properly.

 

“Hello, Rita’s!” He shouts again, attempting to get a reaction from the drunk customers. In the very back of the bar, Kim can hear Jason and Billy yelling ‘ _ hi!’ _ and she has to restrain herself from laughing. The man continues, undeterred. “She’s back again for another Friday performance, and this time she has a guest with her. So let’s give them a warm welcome! Trini Gomez and Kimberly Hart!”

 

Half of the audience applauds (those who aren’t too drunk out of their minds to do so) as they step up on stage where there are two microphones set up for them. Trini gives Kim a warm smile as she adjusts her mic.

 

Kimberly looks to the back of the bar, at the booth with Billy and Jason.

 

Their faces are priceless.


End file.
